doctors advice on tapering and effects of clonazepam

Still on my taper with .125mg daily and into it for about 5 days. Symptoms definitely flaring up worse during these days. (body aches, insomia) just by chance had a doctor appointment and discussed the taper, using clon and the effects that I'm having and the doctor tells me why suffer just up the dose to where you were feeling better. This was not what I wanted to hear as I was at this point in my taper. Just wondering what anyone has to say about the end of their taper and if they ever went back up instead of jumping off. Thought I was getting done and now this...frustrated and not knowing what to do  the doctor also said that the low dose i am on i should have an easy time time drop it totally (yeah right) I like this doctor but these statements to me don't help 

Still on my taper with .125mg daily and into it for about 5 days. Symptoms definitely flaring up worse during these days. (body aches, insomia) just by chance had a doctor appointment and discussed the taper, using clon and the effects that I'm having and the doctor tells me why suffer just up the dose to where you were feeling better. This was not what I wanted to hear as I was at this point in my taper. Just wondering what anyone has to say about the end of their taper and if they ever went back up instead of jumping off. Thought I was getting done and now this...frustrated and not knowing what to do  the doctor also said that the low dose i am on i should have an easy time time drop it totally (yeah right) I like this doctor but these statements to me don't help 

 

Hi sidney,

 

Most doctors do not understand how some of us suffer when coming off benzos. He needs to educate himself about Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome. His suggestion to up dose is defeating the purpose of tapering!!    Easy for him to say, he doesn't have to suffer getting off them. What you are experiencing are typical withdrawal symptoms. Sometimes if someone has an exceptionally tough cut, they may reinstate and do a smaller cut but most would never up dose.

 

It would help those stopping by to read your posts if you would add a signature line so we know where you are on your benzo journey. Here are the directions.... http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=9432.msg119713#msg119713

 

 

T2

Hey sidney,

 

It's pretty common to for us to have these kinds of conversations with our Drs.  I feel they mean well, but they're sadly uninformed about benzo withdrawals.  I think you know what you need to be doing, but it would have been nice to have this validated by your Dr. 

 

Try to see this as you're providing a learning experience for your Dr, hopefully he'll see your success and be able to treat the next patient who comes along with this problem.

 

For now, you're doing everything right!  Going up in dose on benzo's means you keep going up in dose.  The only way out of the clutches of this poison is to get as far away as you can and that's what you're doing.

 

Pam

 

 

Hey Sidney,

 

    Stay the course! 

 

    This is the 7th day of the final phase of my klono taper at 0.125mg.  I feel so confident that I do not want to go for the entire 14 days; but will end this taper after this 7th day.  I plan to take my last dose tonight, and then jump off on 8/8/09.  My advice is not to up dose.  Throughout the initial stages of all of my tapers days 5-6 brought a flood of symptoms, and then at the 7th or 8th day symptoms eased up.  I never once up dosed.  Sidney, you are in control of the klono now, do not become entangled once again by its yolk.  If you have to stabilize at 0.125mg for a bit more then stabilize, but do not give klono the satisfaction.  You are strong because you have come this far.  Yes, I have had many a sleepless nights; its been that way since April, but I'd rather have the sleepless nights (and I enjoy a good nights sleep) then to become entangled in this klono web and have to taper down again from a higher dose.  I say again...stay the course!  You can do it!

Retire...congrats on your successful taper and getting to your jumping off point.  I agree with you about updosing.  Someone on the forum once said that they would not updose because they didn't want to lose any territory won during the tapering process.  That statement always seems to ring true.  It is truely territory won.

 

Sidney...my doc cut my dosage from 2mg to 1mg overnight...and when i asked him about it....the doc acted like it was not a big deal....at first, I was a bit upset, I had grown to like the klonopin, looking back, I realize he did me a great favor.  It is much easier to titrate from the 1mg pill.  Hang in there bro.

 

 

Tim

Still on my taper with .125mg daily and into it for about 5 days

 

I agree with the others, you are trying to get off klonopin, why up dose a and go backwards instead of moving on. I can tell you I jumped off at .125 never looked back, and had no problems. This was the only place I was ever even close to stable but after a couple weeks it became horrible. I tired one more cut and it I only got worse.

 

M

Still on my taper with .125mg daily and into it for about 5 days. Symptoms definitely flaring up worse during these days. (body aches, insomia) just by chance had a doctor appointment and discussed the taper, using clon and the effects that I'm having and the doctor tells me why suffer just up the dose to where you were feeling better. This was not what I wanted to hear as I was at this point in my taper. Just wondering what anyone has to say about the end of their taper and if they ever went back up instead of jumping off. Thought I was getting done and now this...frustrated and not knowing what to do  the doctor also said that the low dose i am on i should have an easy time time drop it totally (yeah right) I like this doctor but these statements to me don't help 

Hi, sidney. 

 

I just wanted to reassure you that it is very common to feel worse for a while on lower doses.  For months I felt better after reducing my dose but when I got to .25mg, that changed rather dramatically.  I was cutting .125mg every 2 weeks and held an extra 3 days on those last two cuts to see if I would feel any better.  I didn't and just went ahead and plowed through to the end.  Psychologically it was empowering to not have to put that little scrap of pill in my mouth every day but it was several weeks before I started to see lasting improvement.  It can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride but the dips aren't as deep and don't last as long.  My doc thought I should taper off .5mg every 3 days and then stop after I got to .5mg.  Most of them really don't get it.

Oh Yea tc,

 

    I am very territorial now!  The ole competitive edge is coming back...I did 32 push-ups today...on my toes  (I'm 54); haven't been able to do that in months...ain't no stopping me now!  Sidney, hang in there! 

 

Thank you all for your support and knowledge with this terrible issue. I talked to my doctor and expressed some of the views and such and again the dr. said or thinks clon is not that addictive at such a low dose even though i have been on for almost a year steady. I think the dr. discourgement effected my issues today more than w/d symptoms. Man i am ready to kick this thing and get on with living, it's great to have support from members who have been there and are still there with their journey....thanks..keeping on with it taper away!!  

Thank you all for your support and knowledge with this terrible issue. I talked to my doctor and expressed some of the views and such and again the dr. said or thinks clon is not that addictive at such a low dose even though i have been on for almost a year steady. I think the dr. discourgement effected my issues today more than w/d symptoms. Man i am ready to kick this thing and get on with living, it's great to have support from members who have been there and are still there with their journey....thanks..keeping on with it taper away!!  

 

What low dose would that be? Even .50mg of Klonopin is equal to 10mg of Valium according to The Ashton Manual. 

 

I'm happy to hear that you are going to continue your taper!! 

I am so much more better since I am almost off Clonzapam. I would say do whatever you can to get off the poision as soon as you can. So you can get your life back.

okay I've just about come to the conclusion I am my own care giver after the dr. conversations. I've decided to give myself another few days and then I am jumping off this stuff!! I know I am strong enough and with the support of this site and others I know I can do it. I know it won't be easy but I have faith..wish me luck!!

you will do great!

good luck!

 

Sidney.....I wish you well in your jump off the klonopin.  My pills have changed colors from yellow to green...heheh...but either way...I don't want to have any colored pill as part of my nighttime ritual, so I completely understand what you are saying. 

 

Tim

okay I've just about come to the conclusion I am my own care giver after the dr. conversations. I've decided to give myself another few days and then I am jumping off this stuff!! I know I am strong enough and with the support of this site and others I know I can do it. I know it won't be easy but I have faith..wish me luck!!

 

Hi sidney,

 

You might want to give things a few more days and see if you stabilize some before jumping off. Most members wait two weeks between cuts. 

 

T2

Hey Theresa2 I am frustrated and feel I can use this to help me kick this yellow habit and give me some help. I've seen most people wait a few weeks in between cuts of before jumping off but I feel I will relapse and possibly dose up which I don't want to do.. I know this sounds like I'm weak but I feel strongly and determined to kick this now!!   

Hey Theresa2 I am frustrated and feel I can use this to help me kick this yellow habit and give me some help. I've seen most people wait a few weeks in between cuts of before jumping off but I feel I will relapse and possibly dose up which I don't want to do.. I know this sounds like I'm weak but I feel strongly and determined to kick this now!!     

 

Good luck and speedy healing!! 

Was surfing bb and saw a success post from a member and it gave me an epiphany to do some detective work on when my anxiety/panic started.. does anyone have any knowledge of the drug versed or verset? I was given this drug during one of many tests. during the endo procedure I got two doses because one did not have the effect it was suppose to (was coherent when the endo scope was going down my throat). I saw this success post that he was able to track down a drug used that was a benzo that could of led to his problems. Looked up verset and saw it was a relaxant but don't know if there is any correlation with benzos here but it would add  validation on my part.. just wondering...and yes still jumping off 

Bethers39,

 

      I second that emotion.

Versed is a benzo

Was surfing bb and saw a success post from a member and it gave me an epiphany to do some detective work on when my anxiety/panic started.. does anyone have any knowledge of the drug versed or verset? I was given this drug during one of many tests. during the endo procedure I got two doses because one did not have the effect it was suppose to (was coherent when the endo scope was going down my throat). I saw this success post that he was able to track down a drug used that was a benzo that could of led to his problems. Looked up verset and saw it was a relaxant but don't know if there is any correlation with benzos here but it would add  validation on my part.. just wondering...and yes still jumping off 

 

There was another member that was given Midazolam (generic for Versed) for a procedure and that was what caused her to go on her benzo journey. Her name is chickworhips and you can read her story here.... http://www.benzobuddies.org/about-us

yup chickworhips is the member I read in regards to her success.. that would make alot of sense to me in time frame and relation to when this so called anxiety/panic started....

A bit like connecting the dots isn't it, and not in a fun way!

oboy yesterday was a good day as some describe a window was opened and it felt good and normal again......but today oh no worst day ever i wanna take a dose to stop this but know what that means to my recovery!!! relying on you guys who have been there what do you do?? help!!

Hi sidney,

 

You had a window, that's a good thing.  Now, you're having a wave, that's a bad thing.  The crazy part about this process is, it's not linear.  You feel good for a little while, then it turns to crap and you feel bad.  You start to learn not to trust it when you feel good, because you know at any moment it could leave and you'll feel like crap again.

 

I know this doesn't make you feel any better, but I hope it does let you know this is normal.  If you take a pill, it won't help.  If you take a pill, you'll have to take enough to stabilize on and it will be a much higher dose than you're on now.  So, what would that do for you?  It would make your situation worse and when it's time for you to start tapering again, it will be a higher dose. 

 

I'm sorry to scare you, but you need to know that taking more isn't the answer.  Seeing this through as hard as it is is the only path you should be looking at.

 

The clonazepam won't ever make you feel good again, because you know now that it's poison and it will hurt you.

 

Just hang on, try to distract yourself and think I can hang on for 60 more seconds, then maybe the next 60 seconds.  That's how I did it.